Harold D. Milam Harold D. Milam died peacefully at his home in Puyallup, Washington of natural causes on June 3, 2017. He was 85 years old. For nearly 60 years, Harold was a leader in the automobile industry in Puyallup and Pierce County. He started his automotive career at Grant's Chevytown on River Road in the late 1950's. In 1959, Harold and Lloyd Grant founded Grant-Milam Oldsmobile, originally located across from the Post Office on Pioneer Avenue in Puyallup. The dealership moved to the current location of Milam Mazda on River Road in the early 1960's. In 1963 the franchise grew to add Jeeps and become the second Jeep dealer in the United States. In 1974 Mazdas and Subarus were added to the franchise. For several years in the 1960's and 1970's Harold also owned Puyallup Chrysler Plymouth. In 2008, Harold and president of Milam Mazda Ken Dinsmore purchased South Tacoma Mazda, expanding the scope of Mr. Milam's automobile interests to Tacoma. The dealerships have employed hundreds of employees in Puyallup and Pierce County and have provided quality service to automobile purchasers for nearly 6 decades. Harold was born on October 25, 1931 in Creston, North Carolina, the fourth of seven children born to Ray and Ruth Milam. Harold's early years and youth were spent working hard on the farm in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, where his family grew tobacco, beans, and other crops, and raised cattle. He attended Appalachian State College in Boone, North Carolina before joining the United States Air Force in 1951. Harold earned several medals for his service during the Korean War. His military career brought him to the Pacific Northwest, where he met Puyallup native Jo Grant (born Betty Jo Copple). Harold and Jo were married in 1954 and settled in Puyallup. They had two children, Lloyd Grant Milam and Janet Ruth Milam. Harold entered the automobile industry during this time, worked hard, and the business grew. In 1974 Harold married Anna Shantz, originally from Mio, Michigan. The couple had a long and happy marriage until Anna's death in 2012. Together they enjoyed traveling the country in their RV and spent many happy winters in Mesa, Arizona. The couple hosted a foreign exchange daughter, Kyoko Sakurai of Tokyo, Japan in 1978-1979. Kyoko remains an important member of Harold's extended family. Harold will be remembered by all for his sense of humor, strong will, hard work ethic, generous heart, intelligence, wisdom, and leadership. He will be missed dearly by his surviving family, close friends and business associates: sister JoAnn Hall of Bristol, Tennessee; sister-in-law Alice Milam of Puyallup; daughter Janet Milam (Rumer) and son-in-law Mike Rumer; grandchildren Baird Milam, Benton Milam, JulieAnne Howe, Kevin Howe, and Thomas Howe; close friend Clarice Reynolds; business partner Ken Dinsmore; foreign exchange daughter Kyoko Sakurai; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. A celebration of Harold's life will be held at Milam Mazda, 608 River Road, Puyallup, WA on Monday, June 12, 2017 from 5pm-7pm. The community is welcome to join in remembering Harold at this event. The family asks that any gifts in memory of Harold be made to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Care, (1100 Fairview Ave. N., MS J5-200, Seattle, WA 98109) or Friends of the Redmond Hub, a nonprofit that supports the provision of enrichment and day services to young adults with developmental disabilities in Redmond, Washington (12708 197th Place NE, Woodinville, WA 98072). Arrangements by Hill Funeral Home, 253-845-1172.